In case you didn’t know, the former Super Bowl champs just got owned by Seattle 41-36. The Seahawks came in 11-point underdogs and reports said teams were preparing to play the Saints. Forty-one points by Seattle changed that and now the New Orleans Saints will be watching the Super Bowl from the same place as the Panthers, Browns and Bills.

The Saints started out strong with a 10-0 lead, but the Seahawks looked like the NFC champs from 2005 afterwards. The Seahawks went off on a 27-3 run to take a lead that they would never relinquish.

This was a battle between two veteran quarterbacks as Brees threw for over 300 yards, but after being questionable for the last few weeks Matt Hasselbeck had a huge game with four touchdowns and an interception. The advantage Hasselbeck had was a good running game that eventually put the nail in the Saints’ coffin.

It was third down and the Seahawks were having trouble getting a rhythm, which allowed the Saints to come within one score. Then, Marshawn Lynch, who had 131 yards on the ground, decided to go into the history books with arguably the greatest run in playoff history. It was Lynch against the world and Lynch won. He would not go down and his 67-yard run ended in a touchdown that all but sealed the Saints' fate.

I will be the first to admit that I never saw this coming, but they exposed the Saints' lack of a run game and the Seahawks ran the ball very well. Most of all, I just want to give my gratitude to Seattle. It has been a long year as every commercial and television program talked about the Saints. As a Panthers fan, it hurt. Now, the Seahawks have relieved that pain and I wish them the best.

One last thought that deserves consideration. Is there a possibility the NFC West just plays opossum? This is a division that doesn’t usually see double-digit win teams unless the preseason is added in, but time and again they show up in the playoffs, especially against the NFC South.

Two years ago, the Cardinals finished 8-8, but they took out a heavily favored Carolina team in the Divisional playoffs. Now the Seahawks, the worst playoff team record-wise in history, takes down the defending champs.

I don’t know how they do it, but the NFC West knows when to show up and on this day they showed up against the defending champs. No matter who they play next week, I wish Seattle luck and may the 12th Man be with them wherever they go.